Kanto
by Derek8121
Summary: The first story in the Ongoing Adventures of Krad Dashow story arc, we begin with Krad's start as a Pokemon trainer and his adventures in the region of Kanto.
1. Start

**Chapter 1: Start**

"It's finally time," shouted a young boy as he walked out of his house, "I can't wait to see Prof. Oak and get my very own Pokédex!"

The boy was named Krad, and yesterday just happened to be his tenth birthday, making him eligible to become a Pokémon Trainer in his home town of Viridian City. Ever since he was seven years old, he had waited for this day, three long years of preparing himself for the excitement of being a Trainer. On his birthday his mother gave him a wonderful set of gifts: a backpack, running shoes, a new set of traveling clothes, and something he'd always wanted, but never seen up close before, a Pokéball! He was excited as he left his house, looking out at the blue sky above.

As with any Trainer, he was on his way to see the local Pokémon Professor to receive one of three "starter" Pokémon to begin his journey. The three were Bulbasaur, a grass-type, Charmander, a fire-type, and Squirtle, a water-type. Krad wasn't entirely sure which one he wanted to start out with, but he thought about getting a Charmander. He'd read about its evolutions, and knew that nothing was more awesome and powerful as a Charizard. If he raised one right, he'd be the first Trainer of his family to own one.

He smiled as he tugged at his backpack, walking out of his house towards the south of town. He'd taken his mother's advice and packed some repel with him so he wouldn't have to worry about wild Pokémon so soon. He learned that they loved to lurk in tall grass and without the handy repellent, he was likely to encounter one before he was ready.

He was almost out of the town when suddenly he heard someone calling his name. Turning around he saw it was his friend and rival Shinji, a young boy the same age as him who lived not far from his home.

"Krad, wait up!" he yelled as he ran over to him. As he got closer Krad noticed that he too had a backpack and running shoes on, meaning he was most likely planning on visiting Prof. Oak as well. After stopping a moment to catch his breath he smiled up at his friend. "I'm coming with you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, your mom said I could."

Smiling a little, Krad adjusted his sunglasses as he realized it was typical of his mom to have someone look after him while he left. Growing up wasn't easy for the boy as he was usually picked on by his peers at school. His eyes were unique, as red as the flame on a Charmander's tail, and because of it he was hazed often by the other kids. As he got older he wore sunglasses constantly to hide his appearance. His parents made the excuse that it was because his eyes were sensitive to light, but others knew the truth. Shinji was one of the few people who didn't harass the boy for his eyes, and because of it, he considered him a good friend.

"Thanks, I could use the company."

The two adjusted their bags one last time, applied some Repel, and began the journey south to Pallet Town, home of Prof. Oak's lab and where their journey would truly begin. As they walked, the two chatted casually, both eager for the adventure that lay ahead.

"So what Pokémon will you choose?" Krad asked, curious of his friend's preference.

"I'm not sure. I'm thinking about getting a Charmander."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I've always loved fire-types, you know that."

Krad nodded and wondered if he should get a Charmander as well. Since he considered Shinji to be his rival as well as his friend, it was custom to choose a Pokémon that was the opposite of his. So in this case, Krad would need to choose a Squirtle as his starter, as the water-type was super effective against Shinji's fire-type.

"What about you Krad? What Pokémon will you choose?"

"Um… I don't know" shrugged Krad, hiding his disappointment. "I'll just decide when we get there."

Shinji let out a light laugh. "Always the last minute thinker, huh?"

The boy just smiled and pushed up his sunglasses, glancing around at the tall grass that covered most of Route 1. From where they were going they could easily pass by it by jumping down from the ledges that ran along the route. Krad noticed a couple wild Pidgey foraging in the grass and wondered if he'd see them again after he got his Pokémon.

The air was cool as they walked, a pleasant day to be out, as Shinji commented. The two stopped for a moment to take a quick break and were once again off. They had heard that Route 1 was one of the shortest in Kanto, so with luck they'd reach Pallet Town by sundown.

Hours went by and soon they found themselves passing a couple people from the very town they were headed to. They weren't trainers but just a few kids playing in the grass and a one who was pretending to be a trainer. As they got closer, they even saw a familiar face.

"Hey, isn't that Murasaki, from the PokéMart?" Shinji said, pointing at a man sitting at booth near edge of the trail.

Krad looked at him and noticed that it was in fact one of the people who worked at the Viridian City PokéMart, a short stout man with a receding hairline and a dark violet apron. He looked as if he had set up a convenience booth right on the Route.

The pair of young, soon-to-be trainers walked over to him in greeting, both as surprised as him to see each other.

"Hey, Krad, Shinji!" he shouted with joy, "Good to see you boys! I see you're on your way to Pallet Town."

"Yes, sir," replied Shinji.

"We're off to see Professor Oak and become Pokémon Trainers" said Krad with a smile.

"I figured as much," said Murasaki with a proud smile, "I was wondering when the day would come when you would be off on your grand adventure."

He reached into one of the boxes at his side and pulled out two objects of what looked like spray bottles.

"Do you know what these are, boys?"

"Those are Potions, sir," said Shinji. "They heal injured Pokémon."

"You're right!" He put them back in the box and smiled at them. "That's why I'm here. I'm giving a way a free potion as a sample to trainers coming out of Pallet Town. Think of it as a kind of small incentive to shop at the PokéMart in Viridian City."

"So… if we come back with our Pokédexes in hand, we can get a free potion too?"

As he nodded the two boys smiled at each other.

"We'll be back soon then!" they both said in unison.

Agreeing to return, the boys set out to continue their walk to the town, even more eager to become a Trainer. Potions were just one of the many key items to have on a Pokémon journey. As Pokémon battled, they would get injured to the point it was painful for them to continue fighting. Normally a quick trip to the Pokémon Center would remedy this, but if one wasn't close by, a Potion was the next best thing. The quick healing medicinal spray was perfect for healing Low-Level Pokémon, with more advanced sprays for Pokémon of higher levels.

They continued walking for awhile, curious as to how far Pallet Town really was. Darkness was slowly covering the area around them as the sun set and they wondered how much farther they could continue with only the moon as their light for the night.

Suddenly, they heard the sharp cry of a bird Pokémon from the woods nearby and turned to look. A large Pokémon, a Fearow by first glance, was busy attacking something. Krad, concerned it might be a helpless Pokémon, rushed towards it.

"Hey, wait!" Shinji grabbed his arm to stop him. "It's just a Fearow. It's probably eating something right now."

"If it was eating it wouldn't be fighting as hard as it is," Krad argued, prying off his friend's hand. "I'm just gonna go check it out, okay?"

Shinji nodded as he watched his friend slowly sneaked over to the tree, glancing around it. They both knew that Fearows weren't native to this area of Kanto, so it must be a released Pokémon, and an aggressive one at that.

Removing his sunglasses so he could see in the fading light, he gasped as he saw the target of the Fearow's aggression: a lone Bulbasaur, large scratches along its body and head from it being attacked.

The small grass-type Pokémon was cowering in fear from the larger bird, feeling the pain of its sharp pecking and scratches. It tried a couple time to growl, but the feeble sound it produced did nothing to stop the attack. Krad looked back and forth between the two, trying to figure out a plan to help.

Then he remembered… he still had a can of Repel in his pack!

Waiting for the right moment, he quietly set down his bag and reached inside it, pulling out the green can of Pokémon Repellent. He knew it was usually meant to prevent encounters with Wild Pokémon in Tall Grass, but for now it was the only option he had. He watched as the Fearow rose into the air for another attack and as it turned toward the Bulbasaur and dived, Krad leaped out from his hiding spot.

"Leave him alone!" he shouted as he held the can of Repel high, spraying it into the oncoming Fearow's face.

The bird Pokémon cawed in discomfort as it was temporarily blinded by the spray. It flew around blindly until slamming into a tree, knocking itself out. Krad watched for a moment to see if it would get up, then tossed the empty can aside. He slowly walked over to the Bulbasaur, hoping it was alright.

Still weak from the attack, the grass Pokémon looked up at him, scared at first. He wasn't sure if he could trust the new stranger, but then noticed the knocked out Fearow nearby. Its eyes then glanced at him with a glimmer of hope, as if wondering if the human had come to save him. Krad gave a warm smile and held his hand out for the Pokémon.

"It's alright… I'm here to help you…"

The Bulbasaur slowly leaned forward and sniffed his hand. Sensing no ill-will in the humans scent, it began crawling towards him, but stopped from the sharp pain running through its body. It let out a weak sound and fell onto its stomach, head laid down in shame.

Krad couldn't stand idly by and watch the poor Pokémon writhe in pain. He quietly moved closer and looked over its wounds. From what he could see, it sustained a lot of Peck attacks and possibly even a few Sand-Attacks, judging by the amount of dirt across his face and eyes. That Fearow must have been very angry when it attacked, though Krad couldn't imagine why the bird Pokémon would hold such animosity toward a small, defenseless grass-type.

It didn't take long for Shinji to investigate the whereabouts of his friend. When he saw the injured Bulbasaur he quickly rushed over to help.

"What happened?"

"This poor Bulbasaur was attacked by that Fearow we saw," Krad replied with a sigh. "We need to help it."

"But how? The nearest Pokémon Center is all the way back in Viridian City… and we don't have a Pokéball to carry it in…"

Not even minutes after Shinji spoke they heard the sound of a jeep roaring along Route 1. Krad quickly stood and ran out to see what it was, surprised to see the 4x4 racing closer, one of it's passengers looking around at the forest line. At first glance it looked like a Police Jeep, with the driver most likely being an Officer Jenny.

They must be looking for the Bulbasaur, Krad reasoned as he looked back at Shinji and the injured Pokémon. Waving his hands in the air, he tried to signal the jeep, yelling as loud as he could.

"Hey! Hey over here! Hey!"

Sure enough, the jeep skidded to a stop nearby and both driver and passenger exited. One was in fact an Officer Jenny who adjusted her hat once she exited, while the other was a taller, older man with graying hair and a white lab coat.

"What's going on here? Did you need assistance?" said the Officer, looking him over and around him, as if to assess the situation.

"Yes, there's a Bulbasaur in the woods, injured. He was attacked by a Fearow."

He pointed to the spot where Shinji and the Pokémon were, and all three quickly raced over. The older gentleman kneeled next to the Bulbasaur and looked him over, frowning.

"There's not doubt about it… he's the one we're looking for Officer."

"Are you sure Professor?"

He nodded once. "Yes… though it pains me to see him this way. He always had a fear of bird Pokémon, so to hear him being attacked by one, a Fearow no less, is distressing."

Krad listened to the man speak and was certain he'd heard his voice before. It was gruff, but gentle; the knowledge in his voice reflecting years of studying Pokémon. Officer Jenny called him Professor… could that mean…?

The gentleman stood up and cleared his throat. "Boys, I'll need you two to assist me, if you can."

"What is it, sir?" said Shinji, looking up at him.

"This Bulbasaur is in critical condition. It needs to be taken to a rejuvenator and now. I need you two bring him into the jeep, but gently."

"Will we be going to a Pokémon Center?" Krad asked, hoping there was one in nearby Pallet Town.

"No, there's not one close enough. We'll have to take him to my lab. I have one just for emergencies like this."

Without asking many further questions, Krad and Shinji gently picked up the injured Bulbasaur and headed into the back of the jeep. The two sat on either side of it as Officer Jenny and the Professor got back in.

"Now hold on everyone!" yelled Jenny as she shifted into gear.

Everyone indeed held on as she quickly pulled a U-turn and sped off, their destination: Pallet Town. In the darkness of the setting sun, Krad removed his sunglasses and looked at the Bulbasaur. He was surprised to see it staring at him, its eyes just barely open.

_He's… he's not scared…_ Krad thought as he gazed into the Pokémon's red eyes. They were nearly the same hue as his. Never before had anyone, Human or Pokémon, look him in the eyes without fear or resentment. Yet here was a Bulbasaur, staring into the eyes of his savior with not fear, but gratitude. The two stared into each others eyes for a few moments before the Bulbasaur finally fainted from its injuries.

"Professor!" Krad shouted, "He's fainted!"

"We'd best hurry then," he replied in a grave tone. "Officer Jenny, our we close?"

The jeep jumped a ledge and plowed through a path hidden by tall grass. "Almost there Professor!"

It didn't take much longer for them to reach the Lab which was near the center of Pallet Town. The jeep skidded to a stop and the two boys quickly carried the Bulbasaur inside, following the Professor and Officer Jenny. A few aides rushed over once they were inside and they led them to the back of the lab where a Pokémon Rejuvenator, the same kind as those found in a Pokémon Center, was set up ready for use.

The Professor grabbed a Pokéball lying on a machine nearby and aimed it at the Bulbasaur. A flash of light later and the Pokémon was in, what Krad assumed, the Bulbasaur's ball. He watched as the Professor inserted the Pokéball into the Rejuvenator and it began to heal. A few tense minutes later and the machine chimed in it's familiar tone to signal a successful heal.

Both Krad and Shinji let out a sigh of relief, knowing that the Bulbasaur was fully healed now. They looked at the Professor, and in the bright light of the lab, gasped as it finally dawned on them who he was and where they were.

"You're Professor Oak, aren't you?" Krad said in awe.

The man smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's me. I'm Prof. Samuel Oak, Lead Researcher and head scientist on Pokémon Studies in all of Kanto."

The two boys looked at each other with excitement. They'd made it, they were in Pallet Town and visiting Prof. Oak! Both could feel their adventure beginning soon. However, the feeling was soon followed by something else that took much higher priority.

Shinji gave a loud yawn, feeling exhausted from the journey and the rescue. Krad was also tired, and the two asked Prof. Oak where they could possibly sleep.

"Since you two helped me in rescuing my Bulbasaur, I'll let you sleep here for tonight, but tonight only." He smiled softly. "Judging by your apparel, I assume you were planning on visiting in the first place to start your journey."

When they both nodded he gave a short laugh. "Well then it must be fate that we met in such a manner."

He called over one of the aides and led them to a set of rooms connected to the labs. The two boys fell onto the beds, too tired to change into their night clothing. Krad let his bag slump to the ground as he rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. From his right he heard Shinji do the same and let out another yawn.

"We did something great today, Krad"

"Yeah, I know."

The silver haired boy looked over at his friend and smiled. "You made you decision yet, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Krad asked, confused at first. "Oh… you mean my starter?"

After Shinji gave a tired "yes", Krad replied with a soft smile, "Now that I think of it… I think I'll have my starter be…"

Before he could finish he heard a loud snore. Looking to his right he saw that Shinji had already fallen asleep. The nerve of him! What was the point of asking a question if you were just going to fall asleep before hearing it?

Shaking his head, Krad decided to get some rest as well and relaxed against his pillow. In his mind, he finished what he said.

_A Bulbasaur… my starter will be a Bulbasaur…_


	2. Route 1

**Chapter 2: Route 1**

Morning came with a loud thud as Krad rolled out of his bed and onto the floor. The sudden contact with the ground jarred him awake and he looked around, momentarily disoriented. A brief glance at the bag and running shoes beside him made him remember where he was.

He sat up and rubbed his head, slowly remembering the rescue of the injured Bulbasaur and the ride to Prof. Oak's lab. He looked at the clock and saw it was still pretty early in the morning, so the chances of the Pokémon Prof. being awake were slim. He noticed that not even Shinji was awake yet, his friend happily snoring into his pillow.

Stretching and letting out a yawn, Krad slowly got up and walked out of the dormitory-like room. As he opened the door, he was surprised to see that Professor Oak was indeed awake, and in fact working so early in the morning. Did the man sleep at all?

"Hmm? Oh, you're awake," Prof. Oak said as he noticed Krad step out of the room. "Good morning."

"Good Morning Professor."

"Did you and your friend sleep well?"

Krad gave a nod, looking around. "How is the Bulbasaur?"

Oak smiled and stood up. "He's doing fine. A little scared, but I'm sure he'll recover soon enough."

"I'm glad," Krad said with a sigh of relief. He watched as the Oak grabbed a pot of coffee and poured himself a fresh cup. "Sir, I mean, Professor… my friend and I were wondering-"

"If you could receive a Starter Pokémon to begin your journey with," Oak finished for him. He smiled again. "Yes, I inferred as much, given your attire and all."

"So, you'll let me and Shinji have one?"

"As soon as your friend wakes up," Oak replied, taking a sip of his coffee. "Youch… still too hot."

Smiling, Krad walked back to the room and walked inside, hoping Shinji was awake now. Seeing he wasn't he just sat on the bed and decided to wait till he was. He looked at the clock again, wondering if anyone else was awake at this time besides him and Prof. Oak. He knew he himself was always an early riser, often to the annoyance of his late-sleeper parents and as he saw it, the earlier you were awake the more of the day you could experience.

Sitting up again, he looked around the room, this time to take in his surroundings. It was a small room, suitable for a dormitory with just enough space for two, maybe three people. Noticing a bathroom near the back, he got up quickly, feeling the need to relieve himself.

Taking care of his duty, he washed his hands and looked at his reflection in the mirror. It was then that he noticed he wasn't wearing his sunglasses. Panicking at first, he felt his pockets and found nothing, not even in his vest pockets.

But wait, why was he getting so worked up? Surely Prof. Oak saw him and his eyes; a man such as him would certainly make eye contact with the person they talked with. If he didn't mind then he was okay. After all the only other person with him at the moment was Shinji, who he knew didn't mind his uniquely colored eyes.

Letting out a long sigh he looked back at his reflection, feeling a small amount of relief. His tanned skin looked a little darker than usual, probably because he'd spent the last few days before the journey outside in the warm sun and his short black hair was messy. He hoped that he had packed a comb to brush it properly.

He stepped back and glanced over his clothes, seeing if they'd need cleaning. His black and grey vest was fine albeit covered in a little dirt from yesterday; same with his jeans. His black shirt looked relatively clean and a quick sniff proved he didn't need a shower… yet. Walking out of the bathroom he saw his running shoes lying near his bag, both the same shade of black. He wasn't ashamed to admit it was his favorite color, even if it didn't always count as one. Very rarely did he wear colors of any other sort. It wasn't that it bothered him; he just didn't like any other color than black.

It was why it made sense that his closest friend and rival was a boy the exact color opposite of himself. White clothes, white shoes, heck even white hair! Well, it was more of a silvery color to be precise, but still…

Krad looked through his bag for a comb as he heard his friend starting to wake. Shinji yawned loudly and nearly fell out of his bed the same way his friend did, but quickly stopped himself. He looked around in a similar confusion to Krad's when he first awoke; sleep still lingering in his eyes.

"Where…?"

"We're in Prof. Oak's Lab," replied Krad before he could finish the question. "We came here last night, remember?"

Memories coming back to him, Shinji gave a slow nod. "Oh yeah… Hey, is that Bulbasaur alright?"

"Yes, the Professor says he's fine."

"That's great." Shinji got up and stretched looking around. "Say, does this place have a bathroom? One would be really nice right about now."

After a quick point in the right direction Shinji was off, leaving Krad to finish combing his hair. When he finished he put on his running shoes and looked over his bag, making sure everything was packed. He noticed he was out of Repel, but quickly remembered he used it on the angry Fearow yesterday. He just shrugged it off, knowing that he probably wouldn't need it for now anyway. His goal after all was to catch wild Pokémon, not scare them off.

Standing and slinging his bag onto his back, he watched as Shinji came back, yawning a little. His friend grabbed his own bag and put it on and not needing to look for his shoes as he never took them off to begin with and flashed a smile at Krad.

"Ready to start out journey?"

"Yes," he replied with a firm nod, finding his sunglasses and putting them on.

The two then stepped out into Professor Oak's lab, greeting him as he got up from his desk.

"Ah, you're both awake now. Alright then, shall we begin?"

He motioned for them to follow and he lead them to a large machine standing near the center of the room. With the push of a button it opened in three places, a Pokéball appearing in each. Krad noticed that one Pokeball was off center from the others, as if it had been moved. He made a note to pick that one first.

"Within these Pokéballs are the Starter Pokémon of Kanto: Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle. To begin your journey, you'll both need one, as well as one of these."

The Professor walked over to a desk and opened the drawer, pulling out a red colored device no bigger than a pocket book. He pulled out a second one and walked over to the two boys.

"This is my greatest invention, the Pokédex." He held one out for both of them. "It allows you to record the data of any Pokémon you see or catch."

He smiled and gave a small sigh. "To see all the Pokémon in the world… that was my dream. But, I've become far too old for such a task, so I leave it up to you to do it."

"You sound like you've said this before, Professor," Krad said with a smile.

Oak gave a light laugh and nodded. "I tell my story to those who'll listen."

After a quick explanation on how the Pokédex worked the two boys were ready to receive their first Pokémon. Krad volunteered to go first, stepping towards the machine as his friend watched. If his hunch was right, he knew what Pokémon was in the ball he'd mentally chosen. Slowly he approached it and with a careful hand, reached out and plucked it from the machine.

"Ah, so you'll choose Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokemon?" Oak said with a little surprise in his voice.

"Yes," Krad said with a nod, holding out the ball. "Because I think I know who that Bulbasaur is."

Pressing the button on the Pokéball, Krad watched as it opened in a flash of light, revealing a familiar small green Pokémon. He smiled and removed his glasses, looking at the slightly scared Bulbasaur.

"Hey… it's me."

It looked at him, cautious for a moment before looking into his eyes. He knew it recognized him then as their gaze stayed locked for a moment. The Bulbasaur slowly walked over to Krad's outstretched hand and sniffed it, then nuzzled it slowly, even allowing him to pet it.

"Amazing," said Prof. Oak with a smile. "That Bulbasaur has always been scared of others. I'm surprised he's warmed up to you so fast."

"I did save him," Krad replied, petting the Bulbasaur gently. "Does he have a name?"

Oak shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. Will you give him a name?"

Staring at the bulb on the Bulbasaur's back, he nodded. "Keitou. I'll name him Keitou."

Shinji rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you're going to name everything with a 'K' again? I still remember your mom's Meowth, 'Kit-kat', and her Magikarp, 'Karpy'"

Krad just smiled, not answering his friend. He stood and looked at his new Pokémon, at Keitou, looking into his eyes again. He knew that from this point on, things would be different. Despite only knowing each other for less than an hour, he could tell they were friends, he could see the trust that was in the Pokémon's expression.

"Alright, now it's your friend's turn to choose," said Prof. Oak, motioning to the remaining two Pokéballs.

"Well… since I _am_ your 'rival' and all…" Shinji said with a hint of mischief. "I guess I'll have to choose this."

He walked over to machine and grabbed the Pokéball just above where Keitou's was, smiling as he pressed the button. Just as he'd planned, a small red Pokémon with a tiny flame burning at the end of its tail, popped out of the ball in a flash of light.

"Ah, so you'll choose Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon?"

"Yes," replied Shinji, smiling down at his new Pokémon. "And I'll name him Draco."

Krad laughed a little. "You've been giving this some thought, haven't you?"

"I told you I've always wanted a Charmander." He twirled his Pokéball and minimized it, slipping it into his pocket. "So of course I'd have a name picked out for him."

The Professor nodded at both and pulled out ten Pokéballs from his pockets, holding five out in each hand.

"You'll need these as well for your journey. Catch as many Pokémon as you can, and if you collect enough, give me a call on any nearby PC, and I'll rate your Pokédex."

"And what happens if we catch enough?" asked Shinji.

"You'll receive a reward, a little gift to help you on your journey."

The two trainers looked at each other in surprise and grinned. Such a challenge was just the thing the two needed, being the ever competitive types they were. Bidding the Professor farewell, they recalled their Pokémon and left the lab, heading north to Route 1. As they reached the tall grass that lead to the famous Route, they stopped for a moment to gather their thoughts.

They both knew that as rivals they couldn't journey together. Eventually they'd meet again, but for most of the adventure, they'd have to be apart.

"Well… looks like its separate ways from here Krad," Shinji said, extending his hand.

Nodding, Krad held shook his friends hand and smiled. "I hope to see you again somewhere down the line."

"Oh trust me, you will."

With a short wave, Shinji ran through the tall grass, thus beginning his adventure as a Pokémon Trainer. Krad waited a moment before letting out Keitou again. He noticed the Bulbasaur looked a little uncomfortable and wondered if the Pokéball might have had something to do with it.

"Hey, you okay there?"

The Pokémon looked at him and just nodded, not saying anything. Krad looked him over, just to make sure and when he found nothing wrong on the outside he kneeled in front of him.

"You sure? You look a little shakey."

Again the Pokémon didn't reply verbally, just nodding again. His eyes looked hesitant, as if he were hiding something. His silence made Krad wonder why he was still so shy, despite the trust he clearly showed not that long ago. What made him so nervous?

Taking off his glasses again, he gave the Bulbasaur a gentle smile and slowly extended his hand to touch him. He saw Keitou allow him to carefully pet his head, causing Krad to smile as he gently scratched over his skin. It was rough, yet smooth, like a leather canvas and was surprisingly warm to the touch. After a minute or so of petting, Krad retracted his hand and spoke again.

"Now tell me, are you sure you're ready for this journey?"

When the Bulbasaur tilted its head in confusion Krad re-worded his question. "What I meant was, are you sure you want to go with me? I know that as you're now my Pokémon, you are obliged to accompany me, but… I can see you're very tense. Not to mention I only just rescued you last night. I don't think it's right to put so much stress on a Pokémon, so if you don't want to come with me, then you don't have to. I'll talk with Prof. Oak and see that someone else takes you in instead."

Krad awaited his Pokémon's answer, watching him and hoping that his message was clear. He didn't want to give up Keitou, but he didn't want to poor Pokémon to unwillingly go with him. He believed that such a journey like this required trust from both partners, and if one wasn't willing than he'd just have to settle for waiting until he found someone who was. Still, he hoped Keitou would stay with him. All he could do was watch his Bulbasaur think it over, and pray that his answer was a good one.

Keitou looked at his master with such a look of surprise that if he wasn't already incapable of human speech, he'd be speechless. He was actually willing to let him go back, even though tradition dictated otherwise? He knew that becoming someone's starter Pokémon was a great honor, one that shouldn't be shrugged off so easily; however, the thought of traveling with a complete stranger to do battle with other strangers seemed ludicrous to him.

Yet… this human seemed different. True the only humans he'd been around were the Pokémon Professor and his aides, and they were friendly of course. Then there were the humans from the town who would sometimes greet him and other times avoid him. Overall he had come to distrust them, feeling that even the Professor had ill intentions for the innocent Bulbasaur. Then this human rescued him from that violent Fearow.

A shiver crept down his bulb as he remembered the attack. He had always feared flying types before, mostly because of his type-weakness, but also because of his… "Defect". Since birth he'd been a mute, the closest to speech being a weak and frail "saur". He had been berated once by a flock of Spearow because of his defect and was unable to cry out for help, not even being able to usher even a Growl to fight back. The Fearow that attacked him was in fact, an evolved form of one of the very same Spearows that used to bully him, only now it had more sinister intentions in mind. If Krad hadn't interfered when he did… well he would have done more than fainted from his injuries that night.

Looking up into the luring red eyes of his trainer, Krad stepped closer and trying his best to speak, let out a faint "saur" as his reply, shaking his head.

"So… you'll stay with me?" Krad asked. "Are you sure?"

With another nod, Keitou watched as his master stood and gave him a warm smile. He assured him that he'd take care of him and not force him to battle too much if he didn't want to. He said that when the time came that he'd have to battle a trainer he'd just choose another if he didn't' feel like fighting. All these promises, all these words of praise; any other Pokémon would be suspicious if their trainer opened up like this to them, but not Keitou. He believed every word.

Something told him that he could trust this human, and his own honor made him feel that he'd need to repay him for saving his life. That debt would be repaid in a simple, but effective way: he'd become his partner.

"Alright, then shall I return you to your Pokéball?"

With a quick nod Keitou watched as Krad withdrew the red and white ball and recall him, his body being blanketed in a ray of red light as he felt himself return to his portable home.

As Krad secured his Pokéball to his belt, he felt a wave of relief was over him at the face that he'd get to keep his Bulbasaur. Selfish thoughts, maybe, but at least it'd save him an awkward trip back to the Professor.

Putting his sunglasses back on, he looked at the tall grass that swayed lightly in the breeze and wondered if he'd encounter any wild Pokémon right away. He'd heard that encounters could happen when you'd least expect it, and without any repel he'd most likely attract quite a few.

Taking a deep breath, he began trudging his way through the tall grass. It came up nearly to his waist, brushing against his clothes as he walked. The grassy path went on for a short distance before leading to a large opening in the woods, the beginning of Route 1. He didn't see Shinji anywhere ahead, meaning the boy must have not encountered any Pokémon along his way. Krad was certain he wouldn't either until he saw the grass ahead of him shudder. A violet colored tail poked its way out of the grass and started moving closer, going slow, but then breaking into a run. Panicking, Krad grabbed his Pokéball and tossed it, releasing Keitou.

His Pokédex gave off a little beeping noise, reminding the young trainer that he even had it. He quickly grabbed it from his pocket and pointed it at the tail. As he did, a small Pokémon leaped out of the cover of the tall grass, revealing itself. Krad pointed the Pokédex at it and waited.

"Rattata, the Mouse Pokémon," the Pokédex said in an electronic voice. "Its fangs are long and very sharp. They grow continuously, so it gnaws on hard things to whittle them down."

Krad watched as the Rattata looked at Keitou and got into an attack stance. His Bulbasaur did the same, awaiting orders from his trainer. Krad looked back at his Pokédex and noticed that its screen changed, showing what looked like a status bar for Keitou and three different text panels underneath reading: Fight, PKMN, Item, and Run. Curious, Krad used the directional pad on the Pokédex and selected "Fight". The next screen showed a list of his Bulbasaur's moves, of which only two were available.

"Alright… Keitou, use tackle!"

He watched as his Bulbasaur nodded and lunged at the Rattata. The mouse Pokémon waved its tail and slapped Keitou first before the Bulbasaur quickly turned and slammed into it. The Pokédex registered the hits and flashed information on screen to analyze, updating Keitou's stats.

"Okay, now use growl!"

Suddenly Keitou stopped in place, as if unsure of what to do next. The Rattata took advantage of this and let loose a tackle of its own, knocking the grass Pokémon back. Krad stood confused and looked at his Pokédex for aide.

"What's wrong Keitou? Use growl!"

Again, Keitou did nothing and wound up being an easy target for the Rattata's tackle. Worried as the Bulbasaur's health was slowly starting to decline, Krad wondered if they should try running for it.

No, they couldn't give up so easily!

"Don't give up Keitou, use tackle and show that Rattata you mean business!"

The Rattata lunged again for another tackle, but missed as Keitou sidestepped it and slammed into it with a tackle of its own. The battle continued for a few more minutes until finally the Rattata passed out from exhaustion, leaving Keitou standing, but tired.

"You did it Keitou!" Krad shouted, watching as his Pokédex calculated the battle results and the experience gain. "Hmm… think you're good to continue?"

Another nod from his Pokémon allowed Krad to return him to his ball. Continuing his walk, he looked over the Pokédex, intrigued by the device. Professor Oak didn't explain much about it, so the fact that it could read the battle so clearly was amazing. He had a feeling he'd be relying on it more and more as his journey continued.

Looking over the various buttons he found one that looked like an introduction. Pressing it he watched it beep and listened to the same electronic voice from before.

"I'm Dexter, a Pokédex programmed by Professor Oak for Pokémon Trainer Krad Dashow of the City of Viridian. My function is to provide Krad with information and advice regarding Pokémon and their training. If lost or stolen, I cannot be replaced."

Krad was impressed; the Pokédex even knew his home city and everything. He figured that this device must function like a license, allowing a trainer's data to be recorded as they went along their journey. It even kept track of the Pokémon's stats, condition, data, and move set. How ingenious a device this Pokédex was!

As the tall grass finally ended, Krad looked ahead of him, finally putting his Pokédex away. I'd be a while before he'd reach the end of Route 1 and be back home in Viridian City. He'd heard that traveling North on Route 1 was always longer and trickier than heading south, as you had to cover a lot more tall grass along the way. By the looks of the path in front of him, what he heard was right. Taking a deep breath and grinning as he steeled his resolve, he marched forward, singing a song he'd heard once as a kid.

'_As we march on forth, down the path we take, our journey's just begun. Keep a look out for, all the tall grass here, and the Pokémon inside. There's no turning back, there's no stopping now, down the Route we will go on. Our Pokémon adventure is now on its way…'_


	3. Viridian City

**Chapter 3: Viridian City**

"You have him on the ropes Keitou, just one more Tackle should do it!"

Krad watched as his Bulbasaur gave a nod and side-stepped a Tail Whip from the weakened Rattata. This one was the third one they'd encountered in the tall grass while traveling to Viridian City.

Not long after their first battle with the Wild Pokémon, he ran into Murasaki again and received a free Potion, as promised. Continuing up Route 1, he had met a few other people along the way. They weren't trainers, but just some of the townsfolk from Pallet Town. They told him that they'd already seen Shinji not long ago, so Krad knew he had to be close behind.

Traveling in the Tall Grass wasn't as hectic as Krad at first thought. So far he'd only encountered three Pokémon, all Rattata. After the last battle, he even felt he was getting used to issuing orders and looking at his Pokédex for suggestions. His Pokémon listened to his commands and together the two felt confident against the small Rat Pokémon.

However, there battle confidence was soon to be tested.

"Good job!" shouted Krad as he watched the Rattata fall over in surrender. He gave his Bulbasaur a congratulatory thumb up and returned him to his ball. Once he was back inside, he looked at his Pokedex and noticed that Keitou had gone up a level.

"Alright, if we keep up like this we'll be all set to face the Gym in Pewter City once we get there."

He put Keitou's Pokéball back on his belt and continued walking. He smiled as he stepped out of the Tall Grass and walked the familiar dirt path that led through the woods. Up ahead, at long last, was his home, Viridian City.

He wasted no time and jogged up to the city limits, passing by Officer Jenny's Police booth and giving her a friendly wave. Recognize the young boy clad in black she smiled and waved back. Krad noticed there was a wanted poster hung up next to the booth with three shady-looking characters on it and he stopped, walking over to it.

"Something wrong Krad?" Jenny asked, stepping out of the booth and adjusting her cap.

"Who're these three?" he asked, pointing at the wanted Poster.

Jenny face grew serious and she crossed her arms. "They're members of Team Rocket. They've been causing a lot of trouble lately and these three were spotted here in Viridian."

"Team Rocket? You mean that shady organization that's been accused of stealing Pokémon?"

"That's them."

Krad glanced at the wanted poster again and frowned. What business would they have in Viridian City? He'd heard about their misdeeds all over Kanto, but for them to make themselves publicly known like this was new. He hoped he wouldn't run into any of them along his journey.

"Say Krad, you just got back from Pallet Town, right?" Jenny asked, her tone becoming more cheery.

"Oh, yeah!" Krad said, pulling out his Pokédex. "I'm a licensed Pokémon Trainer now!"

"That's great. You're mother will be so thrilled." She looked over the Pokédex and handed it back to him. "You'll be heading home to pay her a visit I assume?"

"Of course. Which reminds me… did you happen to see my friend Shinji pass through here already?"

Jenny thought a moment then nodded. "As a matter of fact, I think I did. Not even an hour ago."

"Thanks. I'll pay him a visit while I'm at it." He took back his Pokédex and waved. "Bye Officer Jenny!"

"Goodbye Krad! Good luck on your Pokémon journey!"

Smiling, Krad nodded and ran off to his home, near the center of the city. He passed by a few more familiar faces and ended up arriving home nearly an hour later due to all the stops he made. He looked up at the small one-story house a moment before knocking on the door. After a few moments the door opened and before Krad could even open his mouth he found himself swept up into the arms of his mother.

"You're back home!" she cried out, hugging him tight.

"Ah, mom! I was only gone for a couple days at most!"

She frowned at him, not letting go. "That's still two days too long."

He tried to push himself free, but eventually his mother let him go. Gasping for air, he stepped into the house and walked to the living room. "Mom, you know I'd be gone from home a long time. I'm a Pokémon Trainer now." He pulled out the Pokédex from his pocket and showed it to her. "See, here."

His mother took the Pokédex and looked it over, opening up and listening to the electronic voice. "So Prof. Oak gave you your own Pokédex, I'm so proud!"

He nodded. "Yes, and it records data on Pokémon I've seen and caught, as well as my own Pokémon's stats." He then remembered Keitou and reached for his Pokéball. "Oh, that reminds me, I need to show you my Pokémon."

"That's right, you have your own now don't you?" his mother said excitedly. "So which one did you start out with?" She watched as he withdrew a Pokéball and opened it. From out of it, in a flash of light, came a small Bulbasaur. "How cute, you got a Bulbasaur!"

"Yeah. Shinji and I actually rescued him on the way to Pallet Town." He kneeled down and petted him, introducing the small grass Pokémon to his mom. "Keitou, this is my mother. Go ahead, say hello."

Keitou looked up at the smiling woman and slowly crawled toward her. He still felt shy around people he didn't know, but since this was his trainer's mother he thought he could relax a little. He hid his flinch as she kneeled down and slowly petted his head; his somber red eyes glancing up into hers for a brief moment.

"He's adorable Krad," she said with a warm smile. "You said his name was Keitou?" When he nodded she stood. "So, back to 'K' names, huh? Just like your father."

He blushed in frustration. "Mom…"

"There's nothing wrong with that," she said with a small laugh. "I was never good with names, so I'm not one to talk." Then, from the doorway, a voice shouted out her name and she smiled. "Speaking of which, you're father's home."

Walking into the living room was a tall man in his late thirties with dark brown hair and darker skin. He grinned once he saw Krad and ran over to give him a bear hug. "Krad my boy! Welcome back home!"

Laughing, Krad tried his best to hug him back. "Hey dad."

"What you doing back so early son? You give up already?"

"Now Kevin dear, he's just visiting home like a good son," his mother replied for him.

"Hah, I was only joking Katherine." He ruffled the boy's hair and then noticed the Bulbasaur shying away from the scene. "Oh, so this is your starter eh?"

"Yeah, his name is Keitou."

His father smiled. "A Bulbasaur huh? And here I thought you'd follow in your old-man's footsteps and get a Squirtle. I mean, you always loved seeing me and Krash when we battled."

"I know," Krad said as he glanced at his Pokemon. "But there's just something special about Keitou."

"Krad says him and Shinji rescued it when they were headed to Pallet Town," his mother chirped in. "Isn't that so kind of them?"

"Rescued huh? So I guess Oak just let you have him then?" With another nod from his son he smirked. "But I bet you don't know how to catch Pokémon yet, huh?"

"Dad…" Krad whined, his face red from embarrassment. "I know the basics at least…"

"Well, why don't you go see Old Man Rodney then? He's always up for teaching young kids how to catch Pokémon."

Krad shook his head and just smiled. "No, I think I'm okay." He pulled out a spare Pokéball and held it out. "Besides, I wanted to get used to Keitou first before I started catching others."

"Alright, if you really think you're ready then."

"Why don't you stay for the night to rest up before leaving?" he mom asked, looking hopeful. "You two do look tired."

"Sure," Krad said, yawning a bit. "We'll continue first thing tomorrow."

He recalled Keitou and headed to his room, wondering if Shinji was resting for the night or continuing on his journey. Glancing at his clock he assumed the latter and stepped into his room, flopping onto his bed and smiling as he remembered how soft it was.

_'Better enjoy this while I can'_, he thought, _'because after today, it's sleeping in tents and Inns.'_

After setting his alarm, he took off his pack and changed into his pajamas, climbing into bed. He placed Keitou's ball on the stand next to him and smiled, hoping his Bulbasaur would get some decent rest along with him.

"Do dee doo dee doo!" his alarm clock chimed, stirring Krad from his slumber. He quickly waved his arm around and slapped the clock, shutting it off. He glanced at his clock and gave a yawn, kicking the covers off of him. Stretching a bit, he looked around his room, taking in the sights one last time. His TV was at one corner with a game system hooked up to it, and to its right was his computer.

Getting an idea, he got up, grabbed his Pokédex, and walked over to his computer to start it up. Once it booted it up, he plugged in his Pokédex to it via cable and waited. Sure enough, a screen popped up that connected him to the Pokémon Network, the online storage system for Pokémon and Items. The Network logged in his data from the Pokédex and automatically assigned him a "Box" in his name where he could store any excess items he didn't need to take with him. Opening it up, he was surprised to see there was a Potion inside the box, possibly a free gift for first-time users.

"Awesome, two potions already and I haven't paid a thing!"

He clicked a confirmation to withdraw the item and waited. Next to his computer was a type of machine called a "Virtual Capsule", an ingenious device which was where he could send and receive items directly from the computer. A few seconds after he clicked the confirmation, the capsule glowed and materialized the Potion as if out of thin air. Smiling, Krad put it away in his bag and logged out of the system, shutting off his computer.

Krad got dressed, put on his backpack, and grabbed Keitou's Pokéball, securing it on his waist again. Picking up his sunglasses, he stretched one last time and stepped out of his room, only to be greeted with an odd sight. There was a Magikarp flopping in the living room that he knew wasn't there before. He recognized it as Karpy, the family pet from when he was younger, but had no clue as to why it was splashing in the house instead of in the aquarium outside. He was about to say something when he saw his father walk out of the kitchen.

"Morning son," he said, sounding completely oblivious to the Magikarp splashing nearby.

"Um, dad…" Krad started, glancing at the Pokémon in question, "why is Karpy flopping around in the living room?"

"Oh, you're mother and I were hoping you could take him along with you on your journey."

"What?"

His father laughed and walked over to Karpy. "Come on son, I know a Magikarp might not seem like much, but just think about it for a minute. With enough training he could grow up into a big a fearsome Gyarados!" Making a good point, his father reached in his back pocket and pulled out a Pokéball. "Here I even have his Pokéball so you wouldn't have to use yours. What do you say?"

Krad looked at Karpy again and pulled out his Pokédex, scanning him. The electronic voice of the Pokédex spoke up, saying: "Magikarp, the Fish Pokémon. It is virtually worthless in terms of both power and speed. It is the most weak and pathetic Pokémon in the world." Both Krad and his father stared at the Pokédex a minute, then back at Karpy, both a bit silent at the rather rude statement from the electronic device. Its owner glanced at the stats displayed and saw that Karpy was a mere Level 3 Magikarp, its stats lower than that of one typically found in the wild.

Putting his Pokédex away Krad shook his head. "Sorry dad, but I just can't bring him with me. For one, he can't fight. His only attack doesn't really do anything and secondly his level is really low. He'd only be a liability on my team."

Kevin pondered what his son had said and gave a sigh, finally letting it sink in. "Okay, I see what you mean son. Your mom and I were just hoping we could help you out in someway."

"Thanks dad, but really I can handle myself."

"One thing though, Krad," his father replied, "Do you know how to catch a Pokémon?"

This question kind of stunned the young Pokémon trainer. True he'd read up and studied on catching Pokémon before starting his journey, but besides the basics he'd never caught one before. His sudden cluelessness embarrassed him and he slowly shook his head. "I haven't tried yet, but I sort of know how to do it."

"Well, why don't you go visit Old Man Rodney? He's always willing to teach young trainers how to catch Pokémon."

"Old Man Rodney? I… guess I could ask him for help."

"Well there you go," Krad's father replied with a smile, "You know where you can find him, right?"

Krad nodded, giving his father a smile as he thanked him. He double checked his gear and said a final goodbye, waving as he walked out the door. The day was bright and warm, with a light breeze blowing in from the East. The young trainer headed to the North of the city, passing by his rival's house along the way and wondering if Shinji had already left. To the West was the Road to the Indigo Plateau, Route 22; a path that Krad was sure he'd see one day. For now however, he had other things to worry about, especially as he neared his destination.

Smiling, he waved as he was greeted by Old Man Rodney, sitting by his usual spot near the start of Route 2. The kind senior was always found resting under the shade of the trees and enjoyed helping new trainers who were willing to listen; as long as he'd had his coffee of course. The two sat and talked, Rodney curious about what Pokémon Krad has chosen as his starter and how much he already knew about catching others. Seeing the boy's naïvetés at catching Pokémon, he agreed to help teach him more.

"Alright boy, I'll show you what you need to know," he said, getting up and pulling a Pokéball from his pocket. He walked to the edge of the woods nearby and looked over his shoulder. "You just pay attention and leave it all to me."


End file.
